Add to NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: Jan. 24, 2000
Media Advisory m00-015a


Summary:

CALIFORNIA FIRM SELECTED TO DEVELOP AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGIES


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CALIFORNIA FIRM SELECTED TO DEVELOP AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGIES

     In an effort to increase the research capabilities of high-
altitude Earth science missions, NASA's Dryden Flight Research 
Center, Edwards, CA, has selected General Atomics Aeronautical 
Systems, Inc., (GA-ASI) San Diego, CA, to begin negotiations to 
demonstrate technologies expanding the capabilities of uninhabited 
aerial vehicles.

     The task under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and 
Sensor Technology (ERAST) program jointly sponsored research 
agreement is to expand technical performance to meet the 
scientific requirements and to demonstrate operational 
capabilities required by the emerging uninhabited aerial vehicle 
(UAV) industry.  GA-ASI will develop the new Predator B series of 
UAV, including an enlarged and upgraded version, to meet these 
requirements.  As joint partners in the project, GA-ASI will 
contribute $8 million and NASA's Office of Aero-Space Technology 
will invest more than $10 million.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Michael Braukus 
(Phone 202/358-1979).
Contact at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA:  Alan 
Brown (Phone 805/258-2665).

For full text, see:
ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/2000/00-011.txt



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